The full story of Henk Slebos’s role in the A.Q Khan nuclear network and the failure of the Dutch non-proliferation policy.

The case of nuclear trader Henk Slebos, which comes to the Amsterdam Appeals court on 18 September, highlights the failure of Dutch and EU nuclear proliferation policies, according to a new report released today. Project Butter Factory: Henk Slebos and the A.Q. Khan nuclear network is a comprehensive account of how the drive for profit, competing political interests and weak regulations in the Netherlands allowed the export of dual-use nuclear components to continue over a 30 year period. The report compiles publicly available data, including materials obtained under the Dutch Freedom of Information Act.

With the current ease in exporting nuclear components across European borders, the report recommends that firm action be taken at EU level to reform export controls.